LABOUR CONDEMNS LIB-DEM AND TORY POLITICAL GAMES WITH GURKHA RIGHTSIn response to a County Council question from the Lib-Dem Group Leader to the Conservative Leader of Kent County Council and Mike Eddy, Leader of the Labour Opposition on Kent County Council, Mike outlined all the steps the Labour Government had taken to support serving and former Gurkha soldiers Mike Eddy says: "Since Labour was elected to Government, the conditions for Gurkhas have steadily improved and most serving or recently retired Gurkhas have chosen to move onto the British Forces Pension Scheme. Unfortunately the current Conservative Leader of Kent County Council has jumped on a Lib-Dem bandwagon that exploits our serving soldiers rather than helping them.""We all know and respect what the Gurkhas have done for this country in our times of difficulties and I am proud to say that the Labour Government has made a whole series of positive changes to the way in which Gurkha troops are treated."Question No. 14COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING3 April 2008Question by Mrs T Dean to the Leader of the Conservative Groupand the Leader of the Labour Group Will the Leader of the Conservative Group and the Leader of the Opposition Labour Group join the Liberal Democrats in supporting the Bill in the House of Lords to give Ghurkha soldiers serving before 1995 rights to stay in this country and pensions equal to those of British soldiers? Answer by the Leader of the Labour Group We are all grateful to the Gurkhas for what they have done and what they are doing for the defence of this country and that is why the Government has ensured the following for Gurkhas and ex-Gurkhas:
Equality of take-home pay with the wider British Army since 1997
A change in the immigration rules in 2004 to include post 1 July 1997 retired Gurkhas
Married accompanied service after 3 years with the Brigade (previously only one married accompanied tour in the whole service) since 2006
The opportunity to transfer to one of the 2 Armed Forces Pension Schemes since 2007
The opportunity to serve longer for those transferring to the Armed Forces Pension schemes (22 years rather than the previous 15 years)
The opportunity to transfer to the wider Army after 5 years service with the Brigade allowing for increased opportunities at the end of their service
Opportunities to obtain settlement/naturalisation whilst serving in the wider Army since 2007.
Gurkha pensions were reviewed and substantially increased in 2000 and are also updated annually for inflation in Nepal (by 7.3% in 2007)
In 2007 other ranks not on a British Armed Forces Pension Scheme were awarded a 19% rise to reflect changes made in the Indian Army scheme to which the Gurkha Pension Scheme is linked.
Some 2232 retired Gurkhas who were serving on 1 July 1997 or later have been offered the same terms and conditions as the wider Army. Nearly 70% so far have chosen to transfer to an Armed Forces Pension Scheme. It has been a long-standing policy of governments of all colours not to make retrospective adjustments to pensions. To make a special case for Gurkhas would have far reaching implications for other serving and former servicemen.
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